"5 Small Things Friday" No. 13

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Eggnog With Nutmeg On The Top

2. Hearing: Children Reciting The Christmas Story

3. Smell:

4. Taste: Potato Soup

5. Touch:

The stories behind the list:

1. I think eggnog is probably the best Holiday treat, not counting the ones my Mom makes :) ! If it has a little nutmeg sprinkled on the top, it's also one of the prettiest!

2. Our children's Christmas program was part of our Christmas Day service at church. Towards the end, the kids stood in a group and took turns reciting verses from Luke 2. They recited the whole 'Christmas Story' from memory! It was such a wonderful thing, the dear young voices retelling the precious age-old story.

3. and 5. I forgot to record a 'Smell' thing and a 'Touch' thing for this week. Actually, I think I may have had one, but I didn't write it down right then, and if I don't record it right away, I forget... :[

4. Trissy made a batch of potato soup one night for supper. Potato soup (especially with cheese and bacon crumbled up in it) is amazing on a cold night, when you're tired and worn out. Or even when you're not, for that matter :) .

Merry Christmas - 2011

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 12

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Bro. Dennis And Mrs. Carrie Holding Maxwell In Church

2. Hearing: A Bunch Of Crows In A Tree

3. Smell: Mrs. Renae's Youngest Daughter's Hair

4. Taste:

5. Touch: Maxwell's Hand

The stories behind the list:

1. So many Sunday mornings over the past two years, as I've listened to Bro. Earl's preaching, my eyes have wandered to where Bro. Dennis and Mrs. Carrie sit, a little ahead and to the right of where my family is. I have envisioned a small round head resting in the crook of those sheltering arms. I have ached and prayed for the day when that image would not be imagined, but real.
This Sunday morning, it was. And I have felt joy like that only a very few times in my life. Joy, and the real-life realizing of the faith that believes in the result of Work you cannot see.

2. Have you ever been near a tree where a whole bunch of crows are having a gossip party? My what a ruckus they make! But what a nice, country-ish sort of ruckus :) !

3. The Wednesday night before Christmas, Victory Rd. has a church service by candlelight, and the classes aren't divided up like usual on Wednesday night, everybody's together. I got to the church early, since I went straight from work. Mrs. Renae's youngest daughter, who's about six and the type that never meets a stranger, came to me about as soon as I'd gotten sat down and asked, "Miss Kyrie, will you braid my hair?" Of course I was happy to. She chattered the whole time, and informed me that if I smelled strawberries, it was her hair because she had just washed it and her shampoo smelled like strawberries. I told her it was very nice :) !

4. I actually forgot to record a 'Taste' thing for this week... :[

5. Sunday after church, Bro. Dennis and Mrs. Carrie were getting ready to leave, and Bro. Dennis was carrying Maxwell's carrier to the door. I had hurried over to where they were, hoping to get a better view of the baby (I'd only seen pictures), but when I saw they were ready to leave, I stepped back, not wanting to delay them. Bro. Dennis noticed though, and stopped and turned the carrier so I could see. I don't think I've ever seen a newborn baby that I could honestly say was good-looking - until Maxwell. He is beautiful, end of story.
One of his tiny little hands was out from under the blanket, and I couldn't resist reaching out to touch it with one finger. He stirred a little in his sleep, and I wanted to cry for sheer happiness.

Supreme Happiness

I am supremely happy. This has been a Sunday of great things! Oh how GOOD the Lord is!!

Precious little Maxwell was in church for the first time this morning. Trissy and I had nursery today, so didn't really get to see him until after church. But we didn't have any kids in the nursery for a while, so at one point I left to creep down the hall, around the corner, and peek in at the little windows of one of the doors into the auditorium - the one behind where my family usually sits.
I looked over at Bro. Dennis and Mrs. Carrie, just like I have for so many Sundays in the past. 
I'd look over at them and imagine the day when the Lord would grant my prayers and the prayers of so many others, and they would be sitting together, just like always, but their arms would no longer be empty.

When I peeked in that window, I saw that picture. Only this time it was not my wishful thinking taking snapshots for my hopeful imagination. This time, it was real.
How my heart is singing!

Mrs. Carrie had him in his carrier after church, so no one held him, but (when I finally got over there after rushing to get out of the nursery after church) as Bro. Dennis was taking him up the isle to go to the car, he saw me hurrying over, craning my neck to get a look, and turned the carrier so I could see. I knelt down and looked into that tiny face.

He was so perfect. So little, such a baby, but his face was such a perfect blend of Bro. Dennis and Mrs. Carrie. So real. My heart felt like it might stop.
One little hand was out from under the blanket. I touched it and he moved his fingers, and it was like touching a miracle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am so overwhelmed by the KINDNESS of the Lord. We in no way deserve for Him to look upon us with pity, to acknowledge our hurts, to feel or ease our pain. But He does. 


"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Ps. 27:14

"For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of Him:" 1 Samuel 1:27

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 11

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: A Sweet Text Message From A Teacher At VRCA / Pictures Of Maxwell

2. Hearing: Sunday Morning Music Service

3. Smell: Vanilla

4. Taste: A Poached Egg Over Rice

5. Touch: Flannel Sheets


The stories behind the list:

1. Two really special 'Sight' things this week. One was a sweet text message from a VRCA teacher whose young daughter I have befriended, thanking me for including the younger girl in some of my activities.
The second was my first glimpse - through pictures - of Bro. Dennis's and Mrs. Carrie's precious little son.

2. The music service this past Sunday at Victory Rd. was so powerful. Not that it isn't always uplifting and beautiful, it's just that this Sunday it was somehow just, I don't know, exceptional. Each song had such a strong message, the musicians seemed at their best, a feeling of expectancy seemed to flow from the audience, and there was such a spirit of joy and peace that could only come from the Lord. I wanted to sing my heart out. I wanted to be able to somehow pause or freeze the moment, to be able to take it out later and experience the spirit of that morning at some time when I might be down or discouraged. But perhaps the Lord will allow me to keep it in my heart!

3. I don't remember what we were making this week, but I think it was some kind of Christmas goodies. It was something with vanilla in it anyway! Wwwwwooooowwwww... I think vanilla is one of the best smells in the world :) !

4. Mom made chicken and rice the other day and after we'd finished eating it, there was just a little bit of rice left over that she needed eaten up. It's so good anyway, but she poached eggs for Trissy and me one night for supper, and with the left-over rice, that makes one of the best 'comfort food' suppers ever!

5. We got some flannel sheets at Wal*Mart one year at the after-Christmas sales. Those are so nice to put on your bed when it starts to get a little chilly! I climbed in bed one night this week, and I was so tired, and the sheets were so clean and soft and wonderful!

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 10

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Christmas Greenery And Lights In The Church

2. Hearing: George Beverly Shea's CD "Christmas Wonder"

3. Smell: An "Evergreen" Candle

4. Taste: Oreo Bark

5. Touch: The Warmth Of A Cozy Kitchen At Christmastime


The stories behind the list:

1. This past Sunday when we went into the auditorium for church, the handrails up to the balcony, and the edge of the baptistery were all hung with greenery, gold ribbon, and little 'white' lights. The big lights were dimmed before services started, and the effect was so peaceful and beautiful - almost magical. It just felt like the true spirit of Christmas filled the room.

2., 3., and 5. I believe it was Thursday night when Trissy and I got back to the house after our College Bible Study and we walked in the back door, Mom had the kitchen lights off, evergreen-scented candles going, and a Christmas CD by George Beverly Shea playing softly. The atmosphere was so cozy and warm and sweet and inviting!

4. Have you ever had Oreo Bark? MmmmmMmmmm! Trissy and I got together Tuesday evening with a group of Victory Rd. friends to make candy to sell at the college's Christmas festival. One of the things we made was Oreo Bark. I don't remember ever having any before then, but it will definitely be something I want to add to our recipe box!

Dennis Joseph - A.K.A. "Maxwell"

HE'S HERE!!

Dennis Joseph (A.K.A. "Maxwell"), born Dec. 8, 2011, late in the afternoon, 20 inches long, weighing 7 lbs. 11 oz.

"And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him." Isa. 30:18

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

P.S. More later!

"Safety is of the Lord"

“For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” Ps. 91:11

Yesterday afternoon on her way to choir practice, Mrs. Carrie was in a wreck. It had been drizzling all afternoon, and the road was just wet enough to make the oil on the road slick and more dangerous than a heavy rainstorm. Coming around a curve near their house, she lost control and hydroplaned, her SUV ending up on it's side in a ditch. If it had been a car, it would have rolled completely over.

Bro. Dennis was already at the church practicing with the musicians, and Bro. Blake (who went with him when they got the call) told us later that he had to beg him to slow to 80 mph on their way out there. They had no idea what they would find.

But the Lord was merciful. Mrs. Carrie only had a burn from the seatbelt on her arm, and when they took her to the hospital just to make sure everything was alright, they said the baby's heartrate was normal, and they were both fine, though obviously shaken up. Bro. Blake said Bro. Dennis's heartrate was probably what they needed to worry about!

How many prayers have been prayed for this precious child! Both for his creation, and for his future. Just yesterday morning in his sermon, Bro. Earl mentioned how he was praying that this grandbaby would grow to become a godly man, teach his own children the ways of God, and serve the Lord with his life - like his daddy has. How I've prayed, that the Lord would save him while he's young, that he would grow to be a godly man and a preacher for Christ, that he would lead many people to the Lord, and that he would raise his own family for the Lord, that until the end of time, there would be a man of this line serving God.
And the whole church it seems, has been praying for this little miracle, and now is anxiously waiting for him to arrive. That baby will never lack for love - or attention!

Could it be that the devil is trying to stop him, even now? The Lord is SO kind and merciful! We could have lost one or both of them. Yet, He left them both to us - alive and well.

My heart is overwhelmed by His graciousness, His compassion, His pity, and His indescribable goodness.

Words cannot express how I feel. But He hears the words my heart is singing!

What else can I do but worship?

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 9

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Law Praying.

2. Hearing: "Harvest"

3. Smell: A Fresh-Peeled Satsuma

4. Taste: The First Eggnog Of The Season

5. Touch: A Warm Cornbag


The stories behind the list:

1. I have mentioned Archer's younger brother, Law, before. He is so talented, so full of potential. He plays the bass guitar on Wednesday nights in the group of young people that leads the music (and does an excellent job), but I long to see him pour himself into the cause of Christ.
Of the S. family, Law is probably the one I know the least, though that is changing. He seems to be the type that hasn't succeeded in going deep with the Lord yet.
Of course I cannot know his heart, but how I pray for that dear young boy! How I long to see the Lord work mightily in his life, and use him in amazing ways for the glory of God!
Wednesday Bro. Mike was gone to a conference, so Austin presented the lesson. After the lesson, Bro. Mike always has some music played and gives the young people a few minutes to think about the message, and go to a corner and pray if they would like to. Almost like an 'invitation' in a church service.
Austin did the same at the end of his lesson, and Law went to the prayer corner. He was the only one. He stayed there on his knees quite a while, with his head propped on his arms on a stair. I wondered what he was thinking, what was going on in his heart. I pray the Lord is working in his soul, molding him into the great man he could one day be.

2. When I was younger, Mom always had a record or a tape playing. We still keep music on alot. I grew up listening to "Mary Jayne and Polly", "The Florida Boys", "Jim Reeves", and others. And a cassette tape Mom's youngest sister had made for her from one of their tapes. It was titled, "It's Alright Now" and was by a band called "Harvest".
I still love listening to all that 'old' music.
When I got older, I made myself a copy of our copy of "Harvest", fearing the tape was getting so old it would disintegrate one of the times we played it, and that would be that.
The other day one of the songs started going through my head as I was getting ready to go to school. I hadn't thought of Harvest in ages, so I have no idea what made me think of it. It made me want to listen to it again though, so I grabbed my tape on the way out the door, and listened to it on the way to school. It brought back good memories, besides just the wonderful lyrics. I thought I'd share some of my favorites here.

"Behold God":


"It's Alright Now":


"Because I Am":


"Mountain Climber":


3. Aunt Winny and the two little cousins (who aren't so little any more. I guess I really can't call them that much longer...) came to visit from off the mission field for the holidays. I hope to elaborate on their visit in another post. Anyway, they went to see her parents in another state before coming here, and they sent a truckload of satsumas and grapefruits to us for Thanksgiving! I absolutely LOVE anything in the orange family - satsumas, tangerines, oranges...
And there were so many we could eat them to our heart's content and not worry about taking them from somebody else who wanted them! I started to peel one, and the scent when the outer skin first broke was so amazingly sweet. Probably one of my favorite smells in the world is the smell an orange lets off when the peel is first broken.
There's got to be an object lesson in that somewhere.

4. With the company coming, The Grandmother bought about six half-gallons of eggnog! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! That first sip after a year, was pure bliss.

5. On a cold night, when you're using your heaviest blankets, toe socks and flannel pajamas, nothing is quite so effective at warding of cold misery like a home-made cornbag. If you do not know what a corn bag is, you can find lots on Etsy.
Here are a couple of examples:

This one is more like the ones we make and use, and is more flexible.

This one is probably more sturdy, but not as effective.

We make little pillow cases (or use odd ones we have laying around) for ours. It protects them from getting dirty (you can't wash the corn bag, but you can wash the pillow case), and adds sturdiness to them too.

Just FYI, I hope to start making them available in my Etsy shop this coming year.

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 8

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: My Hope Star On The Horizon

2. Hearing: Rain On The Roof During An Afternoon Nap

3. Smell: Woodsmoke

4. Taste: Home-made White Fudge

5. Touch: My soft red fuzzy scarf


The stories behind the list:

1. There is a star that is bright and clear, and in the Fall it appears in the western sky above the horizon in our neck of the woods. I call it my "Hope Star". I want to find out if it really has a name - it is so bright and definite that I'm sure it must.
I call it the "Hope Star" for a sort of long-story-reason. Maybe one day I'll get the story told here. Until then, lets just say that once I was very discouraged and I looked up and saw it, and somehow it gave me hope. So when I see it now, it gives me a warm feeling.

2. One day this week, (Tuesday, I think) we were afforded the luxury of an afternoon nap. It was raining too - a perfect, steady, soothing, pitter-patter type rain. Absolutely delicious to sleep to. That nap was so refreshing!

3. I was driving either to school and work for the day, or back from school and work at the end of the day - I can't remember which - one day this week, and suddenly I smelled the smell of a wood-burning stove or fireplace. Or it could have just been someone burning in their woods. Anyway, it was the smell of cozy nights, winter weather, roasted marshmallows, and Christmas. It made me smile.

4. Mom made white fudge for Thanksgiving. I usually do not care for white fudge very much, but I tasted a crumb of it after she made it, 'cause it was making me so hungry, and it was delicious! I don't know what she did different this year, but that fudge was A. May. Zing.

5. This one is kindof funny... A couple of years ago, during the winter, Mom and Trissy and I were grocery shopping in Wal*Mart, and we passed a rack with a bunch of those knitted scarves out of that fuzzy 'yarn'. There were white, and black, and red, and blue, and lavender, etc. etc. They looked so soft and tempting, so I touched one as we went past. It WAS soft! I wanted to rub my face all in it :) ! But I would never wear something that outlandish in public, and they were ten dollars - way too much to spend on something just because it was soft!
Every time we went back to Wal*Mart I checked to see if they'd gone down in price. They fell to $7. Then to $5. Still too much to spend on a 'just for fun' item, without it being practical as well.
Several more days later, maybe even weeks, I can't remember, we were in again, and I went and looked at them. By this time there were not that many left, but there was still a red one - my favorite color. Only this time when I checked, there was a $3 tag on them, and a worker taking them off the rack and putting them into a cart. If I was going to get one, now was the time.
Yeah, I did. And yeah, I sleep with it every night. It's so soft! Don't judge me! I know alot of y'all still sleep with stuffed animals, and this isn't so much different... :D

"I'm thankful for..." - Week 2 of 2

Friday:

Woodsmoke
Helpful maintenance men
The fact that God understands why bad things happen even when we don’t
Free honey buns and chocolate milk
God-made coincidences
Modern-day Barnabases
The beauty of the sparks of a copper-colored bonfire on a black-velvet night
The Grandmother’s voice
Clean sheets


Saturday:

Home-made French Toast
Simple Fall-ish table decorations
Early mornings
Three good meals a day
Blue wheelbarrows full of leaves
Family soda-can-smashing sessions (selling for scrap metal)
Family leaf-raking sessions



Our cat Bobby



A camera
A clean room
A washing machine and dryer
Laughing hard


Sunday:

A pastor who leads by example and not words only
Church members who follow their pastor’s good leadership
Musicians who pour themselves into doing their best
Teenagers with good attitudes
Kindred spirits
Willing helpers
Beautiful night-time foggy mists
Bro. Dennis and Mrs. Carrie's baby
Early mornings


Monday:

The smell of Vanilla
Strawberry wafer cookies
Oreo balls dipped in white-chocolate-mint Almond Bark
People that share
Home-made white chocolate fudge




Tuesday:

Naps on rainy days
Raspberry chocolate chips
Plastic toy dinosaurs
The medieval paintings of Edmund Leighton
The sound of a group of Christian ladies talking and laughing as they clean a kitchen
Potato soup with shredded cheese and bacon crumbs in it
A quilt that my Dad's mother made, now reinforced by my Mom
Bonbon sunflowers



Cute pennant banners




Wednesday:

Stars on a clear night
Thanksgiving cooking with family and friends
White-chocolate-dipped Ritz-cracker-and-peanut-butter cookies



Soft red fuzzy scarfs


Thursday:

Big get-togethers that turn out well
Organized jobs
Clocks and watches that go "Tick-tock"
Meaningful conversations with relatives
A star on the horizon



Thanksgiving Day


"Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" Ps. 107:8

His Mysterious Ways

This morning as I was grabbing my laptop, charger, books, and papers I would need for school, and trying to get it all in my bag, I was frantically looking for anything I could leave! That bag gets very heavy, and even a few papers sometimes seems to make a difference. I unzipped the outside pocket to drop in a CD I had to return to one of the teachers at VRCA, and found my DVD copy of "Lost Or Found". It has been there literally for a couple of months, waiting for me to get a few minutes (and the memory!) to run by Victory Rd. and ask our secretary to make a copy of it for The Grandparents. I took it out for a minute, then shoved it back in. If I took it out now, that copy would never get made! Hopefully it would be safe.

In art class today, all we had was a vocabulary test. That only took a couple of minutes, so I moved to the next room to use one of the computers in her Mac lab for the rest of the time that would have been used for class. It was in that same room, on one of those same computers, that I made "Lost Or Found" last Fall. Funny, touching a Mac keyboard still gives me a nice feeling and brings back all those memories!

I'd been there about an hour or so, when Mr. Smith, my instructor last Fall for the class where we made the movies, stuck his head in. "Oh! Hello! Just the person I wanted to see!"
He's what you'd call "hyper", I guess, always bouncing, always unpredictable, but a great teacher.
Now I wondered what on earth he would want me for, but as he came into the room, a whole string of students was following him, and he was talking to them.
"...in last year's class...made a movie...you wouldn't happen to have a copy of the movie you made with you, would you?"
I blinked, then nodded slowly.
"Yes sir, I do."
"Do you really? Would you mind if the class saw it? They were wanting to see an example of what the finished product is supposed to look like."
I got up and went into the other room where I'd left my stuff, praying all the time.
My little movie was going to be shown - again - to a group of students. The very same class in fact, that I'd made it in, and for. What's more, some of my classmates from another class were now in this one, and would see it as well.
I unzipped that outside pocket, and took out the DVD case. I'd almost left it at the house that morning.
So sure enough, he turned my computer screen around so most of the students could see it, I popped the disk in, and after a few minutes (where my mind blanked out and I could not for anything remember how to play a DVD on a Mac), the menu screen came up, and I hit "Play Movie". As I got up and stepped away from the computer, I heard the familiar "Boing!" of the intro, and Mr. Smith's voice explaining how an intro was a requirement...that I hadn't used a video camera...a digital camera to photograph...put the images together and used the Ken Burns effect to create the illusion of movement...about 3 or 4 minutes long...
My legs were so wobbly! I was standing sortof a little to the side and behind the screen so as not to block anyone's view, but as the soundtrack to Chris Rice's "Come to Jesus" played, I could see the images playing in my mind.
It was interesting to watch the faces. Boredom, curiosity, thoughtfulness, skepticism, etc.
But when it finished, one of my classmates from last Spring leaned over and said, "That was really good Kyrie." I was surprised she even remembered my name! I got to chat with her for a couple of minutes before they had to begin their work.

What an opportunity! There was no way all that was a coincidence!
Me putting that DVD in my bag in the first place, all those weeks ago.
It staying there, me forgetting to take it to have a copy made.
Me deciding at the last minute to stick it back in this morning.
Me staying over after the test to work on one of those computers, instead of going on up to the library, like I usually do.
Staying that long. I'd intended to leave after just a little while, but I was still there when Mr. Smith's class came in.
My classmates from another class, now being in this one.

It had to be what they call, "a God thing".
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
May He be glorified, and continue to use this little movie for His purpose - for that was why it was made in the first place!

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 7

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Glittering morning frost on my car

2. Hearing: Sunday-afternoon choir practice working on our Christmas cantata

3. Smell: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

4. Taste: Home-made Peanut Butter Chews

5. Touch: A thunderstorm wind


The stories behind the list:

1. Have you ever seen a clean surface, covered in pure white frost, early in the morning, and the glittery effect it has? Much more perfect and stunning than anything man could make.

2. I am SO thankful to be allowed to be part of the choir at Victory Rd. I can't sing that well, and sometimes I feel like I should just quit. I know how my part is supposed to sound, and I can read music, and even hit the notes, but the quality of my voice is a little too grainy to be really nice, and I feel like I'm just messing up some of the others, and making myself look silly in the process. But then we have a session like this past Sunday, and I just can't quit! I love it too much! It's such a great time to get closer to people, to learn more about them as individuals, and to learn more about music. Bro. Dennis really works hard to whip us into shape. Right now we're working on our Christmas cantata and it is probably the best and most beautiful one we've done since my family has been at Victory Rd.
Then there's the great camaraderie and joking that is such a part of any small-ish gathering at Victory Rd. The Bass section sits behind the Tenor section in choir, and all those guys do like to carry on. The fun and banter is mixed with serious moments of concentration and friendship. It's wonderful.

3. The other night Mom made grilled cheese sandwiches for supper. I had already been thinking how wonderful a grilled cheese sandwich would taste, and that aroma as they were toasting - WOW! Toasty, cheesy, perfect.

4. Henley makes the best peanut butter chews. She brought some to our church Thanksgiving meal Tuesday evening and they were SO good.

5. One of my favorite outdoor 'activities' is a walk during a summer thunderstorm. Obviously it's not summer now, but I was out momentarily during the wind before a storm this week, and the fight with the wind is always so exhilarating - and comforting. The force, the power, the energy, the amazing beauty... I feel almost like I am being hugged by God, and I mean that in the most awe-filled, reverent way. Many of the moments in my life when I have felt His presence the strongest were when I was out in a storm.

"I'm thankful for..." - Week 1 of 2

I have really been challenged recently in the area of Thankfulness, stewardship, and using what you have (even if it seems small) to glorify the Lord.
This week, the author of the blog Simple Delights, had a great idea and invited her readers to join her: For each day of the last two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, compile a list of the things you are thankful for that day, and post your lists each day, or the whole week's worth at the end of each week. She is planning a link-up so we can share our lists with each other.

This goes so well with my goal of trying to notice and be more grateful for all the wonderful little things the Lord provides to us, and I am grateful that others are doing the same thing.

I may not have long lists, but they certainly do not include all the things I am thankful for! Mainly I just jotted down some of the things that were really brought to my mind during the day, but I am actively trying to cultivate a constant attitude of thankfulness. Certainly that should be our goal every day!

I started making my lists on Friday, but I included things from Thursday that I had on my mind and was thankful for as well.

Thursday/Friday:

Good times with good friends
Cream of Chicken Soup
Blogging time
Creative ideas


{Photo and idea by Unoriginal Originality}

Canceled college classes
6-year-old boys with brown eyes, sandy hair, dimples, and a huge appetite for learning and friendship
The safe arrival of Aron and Henley's Timothy, and all
Babies born to Godly young couples
Crochet
'Adopted' brothers


Saturday:

Finished Algebra homework assignments
Godly teaching
Cheery candles in red glass holders



Symphony music, specifically this song:



Doughnuts
Mid-week church meetings


Sunday:

My own Bible
The health and freedom to be able to go to church
Christmas music
Good teachers
Impressionable young friends and the chance to influence them for the Lord
Victory Rd.
Beautiful fall weather
Being picked on by good friends


Monday:

Psalms 107:8-22
Being able to read
Tall trailing bushes with yellow flowers that drape over wooden fences



Text messaging
The kids at VRCA that call me "Miss Dr. Pepper" and my friendship with them
Michael O'Brien's CD, "Be Still My Soul"
Thunderclouds
The texture on a coffee cup from my favorite coffee shop



Cool brisk wind


Tuesday:

Prayer
Rain
Sleeping in
Easy Algebra
Rainbows
A laptop
Pet chickens
A rare phone conversation with an out-of-state friend
Good grades


Wednesday:

"The Conference" - a Bible conference in the north part of the state that has become a family tradition for the week before Thanksgiving
Mild weather after it's been cold
Meeting new friends
Spending time with old friends
Long denim skirts
Good music
Safe journeys
Answered prayers
My Rebelution t-shirt


Thursday:

Hot showers
Grilled cheese sandwiches
College-age Bible studies
Giant peppermint sticks



Mom-made home-made hot chocolate
Pecans
Visions for the future
Hilarious choir practices
Hand-pumped flashlights



A soft bed and warm covers
My own room
Physical and spiritual protection

The Lord is so good to me. This is just a scratch on the surface, but these things are some that really touched me this week.

"...Jesus Christ, Is Coming Soon"

Thanks to Jenn from Unoriginal Originality for sharing this gorgeous music with her readers. She made my week - my family has been listening to this over and over since she posted it!

It's long, but it's SO worth it! Please listen first, then read my thoughts on it below.


This is a comment I left on her post:

"I'm back, listening to the symphony. Again. I let my sister hear it, and she said, 'I wonder what the music in Heaven will be like. It sounds like a triumphant hymn.'
And really, as I listened to it, I realized she was right. The beginning is our life here on earth: waking up into existence, then happy sometimes, complicated sometimes, adventurous, and a little uncertain at times, but exciting! About 3:40 is the end of our life, or the end of time itself. Solemn. A little sad. Yet hopeful (5:10) because Christ still reigns. And He's coming again (5:20)! Look! There He is! And victory belongs to those who will remain faithful and true to Him (6:00) ! And He will take us in His arms (6:40) and He will wipe our tears away, explaining the reasons for each sorrow, or simply lovingly wiping them from our memory. Then He will stand and open the doors to His glorious land (7:15), revealing to us it's unspeakable beauty and awesome glory for the first time. And we will stand in awe and wonder (7:50), then enter, slowly, like children being shown a great surprise. And forever after will be peace, safety, new adventures just around each corner, and our King always beside us. Forever after."

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

-Kyrie<><

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 6

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: An autumn yard arrangement.

2. Hearing: "Miss Dr. Pepper"

3. Smell: Hot biscuits and gravy.

4. Taste: Cream of Chicken Soup.

5. Touch: A hot shower.


The stories behind the list:

1. The house closest to ours is The Grandfather's brother and sister-in-law's house. They have both past away, and now our neighbors are the youth minister from The Grandparents' church, and his family. They are really nice people!
The yard is beautiful and old-fashioned, and they have added their own touches without taking away from the wonderful old memories of the place. I was driving up to The Grandparents' the other day, and noticed a wonderful autumn arrangement they had made next to the old mailbox, using hay bales, pumpkins, and squashes.

2. I talk alot about the kids at VRCA, but they are such a big part of my life, that many of my recent, treasured memories come from them.
A few weeks ago, I took a can of Dr. Pepper to after-school to use as a prop for some photos I was taking for my Etsy shop (I like to multi-task, and am always taking projects to work on while I watch the kids). Some of the new teachers' kids didn't know my name yet, but when one of the students (who knows me well) thought it would be fun to steal my can of Dr. Pepper, that can began making rounds of the boys' pockets, with the hopes that they could persuade me to forget I had brought it, and they could have it :D ! It was a fun joke, but after that, a couple of the new teachers' kids (a brother and sister) began calling me "Miss Dr. Pepper". The first time the boy called me that, it caught me off guard - I had no idea what he was talking about! But when I asked him he said, 'Cause you brought the Dr. Pepper to school, and I didn't know your name!'
They all know my name now, but that brother and sister still call me "Miss Dr. Pepper", instead of "Miss Kyrie", and I love it.

3. Last Friday night I came in cold, tired, and hungry from school and work, and (we pretty much always go to The Grandparents' house for the evening on Fridays) The Grandmother had made biscuits and gravy for supper. One of my favorite smells in the world. My spirits rose from knee-level to the tree-tops.

4. Last night before Thursday night College Bible Study, Trissy and I opened a can of Cream of Chicken Soup for a quick (and hot) supper on the way out the door. Cream of Chicken Soup has got to be one of my favorite "comfort foods".

5. How often do I take a hot shower for granted! So much of the world does not even enjoy indoor plumbing, let alone hot water. Yet after a long day, I find that a hot shower is one of the most comforting, relaxing, soothing things, and I am taking them less for granted. They are also extremely conducive to creative thoughts. I come up with my best creative writings and ideas while in the shower. Often Trissy has come running to my rescue and slid a piece of paper and pencil under the door for me to make soggy notes on!

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 5

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Persimmons on a china saucer.

2. Hearing: A car-load of kids on the way to school.

3. Smell: Taco shells frying.

4. Taste: The first home-made hot chocolate of the season.

5. Touch: A soft white scarf.


The stories behind the list:

1. There is a persimmon tree in The Grandfather's brother and sister-in-law's yard, next to our place. They always let us have persimmons from it, and it's persimmon season now. They are so delicious! We've been having them as snacks in the morning, and the other day Mom made a little party out of it, cutting them onto china plates, and setting out our nice silver-ware to eat them with.

2. Thursday morning at the Thursday Morning Breakfast at the church, we had probably the biggest group of students since the school year started. After breakfast when it was time to get the kids to school, there weren't enough vehicles to get all the kids to school, so I volunteered to take a car-load. It was so much fun! We fit a little person between Trissy and me in the front seat, and four in the back. Yes, they were all buckled, though a couple of them had to share a seatbelt :) ! They were having so much fun, and the merry chatter was such a sweet sound. One of the older girls decided we needed a theme song and started whistling the theme to "The Andy Griffith Show". We dropped them off at the academy, and there were cheerful cries of "Bye!" and "Thank you!" as they all scrambled out of my little 'Tilly-bus' and hurried in to school. It made my day.

3. Trissy made tacos one day, and she was frying the shells when I got in from work and school. Ohhhh it smelled good!

4. It is finally starting to really get cold. Mom has gotten hooked on those fancy creamers for her coffee, like French Vanilla, and Irish Cream and all that. I was tired and cold from sitting still at the computer doing homework, so I got up and made myself my first home-made hot chocolate of the season (I had bought a hot chocolate at the little local coffee shop a few days before). Mom wanted me to use her French Vanilla cream in it, just to see how I liked it ;) . I don't drink coffee, but that cream sure was good in the hot chocolate!

5. Mrs. Gayle, the assistant administrator at VRCA, was one of the ones that went on the church mission trip this past summer that Trissy and I went on. While we were there, she discovered that I know how to french braid my hair. She was so excited, and asked if I would do hers :) . She is so funny! I french braided her hair the rest of the time we were over there, and since school has started, she asks me to come by the academy on my way to college and do it once a week or so. I enjoy getting to do it :) !
Last Friday, she came in to after-school to get her kids and she was wearing a nice black scarf. I'd been trying to find a white one almost just like it and I commented on it, and asked her where she got it, but she said she didn't think they had white ones.
Sunday between Sunday School and the church service, I heard her voice out in the foyer asking where I was. She has a trumpet voice that comes in very handy at the school, and has just become part of her personality :) . It made me smile. I called back to her, and she came around the corner with a gift bag in her hand, holding it out to me. "What's this for?!" I asked her.
"It's because I love you!" she answered. "Do I have to have a reason?"
She wanted me to open it right then. "I want to see if you..." she paused. "If it's what you're looking for".
I couldn't imagine what it was, but I sat down, took out the dark green tissue paper, and there was a beautiful white scarf! It was a really nice one, and SO soft.
I didn't know what to say! She just grinned. "It's for braiding my hair!"

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 4

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday". And yes, I know I haven't posted No. 3 yet. There was another post hinged on it that I haven't finished yet, so I'll be posting them at the same time when I get them finished.
For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: A group of kids playing football.

2. Hearing: Victory Rd.'s young musicians.

3. Smell: An evergreen candle.

4. Taste: A snacky supper - a bowl of green beans, a corn dog, a piece of cheese toast, and a little bowl of strawberry yogurt.

5. Touch: Warm snuggly blankets on a chilly night.

The stories behind the list:

1. In after-school, one of the things the kids love to do is play football. The teachers' kids will come out and get the game going with the after-school children. They'll get their teams together and play for hours and hours. It's so fun to see them - from thirteen to about six, all out there running their hearts out, having a ball, and they're all pretty good too! The light is just beautiful - that late-afternoon light - and it adds such a neat affect to the scene. This Wednesday after-noon was like that.

2. Every Wednesday night when they play and sing, it seems like the group just gets better. This past Wednesday was no exception.

3. One day when I got back to the house, Trissy had a candle burning on the kitchen table. It was Evergreen scent, and it made the whole house smell like a pine fire. Oh, it was SO nice!

4. Saturday evening, I think it was, The Grandparents came to the house for supper. Alot of times for supper we do a kindof 'every man for himself' thing, and we just have whatever. It's fun! This time Mom made tomato soup and cheese toast since we had guests, but I went ahead and fixed myself a hodge-podge of some of my favorite things out of the left-overs we had in the fridge, in addition to the already-delicious meal :) .

5. One night it was supposed to get cold, so I put an extra quilt on my bed and when I woke up the next morning, I was snuggly warm against the chill. Mmmmm!

What Have I Learned In Three Years?

Well, today is my blog's third birthday. Three years ago today I was sitting at a computer in this same row, in this same library, in this same school, clicking the "Publish Blog" button, and starting on a whole new adventure in journal-keeping. How little did I imagine the enjoyment I would get, and the lessons I would learn from it.

What have I learned in three years?
Well, I know alot more about HTML than I did then!
I've learned that the 'outside world' really is as heartless, depraved, and sad as I'd always heard.
I've learned that there really are other Godly people out there - there is still hope for this heartless, depraved, sad world!
I've learned how to cook (a little bit better, anyway)!
I've learned to fall in love with photography. I've learned about photographic styles, and which I like best. I've learned Gimp is just about as good as Photoshop - and it's a whole lot cheaper (Gimp is free)! I've learned that I just don't have much photographic talent - yet!
I've learned that to plant Flowers, you've got to get your hands in the Dirt.
I've learned how to set up an Etsy shop.
I've learned to never take a good church for granted.
I've learned to never take good friends for granted.
I've learned that writing is rewarding. And that it's tough.
I've learned that God is sovereign.
I've learned to find pleasure in the small things.
I've learned alot about art.
I've learned alot about determination, perseverance, and how to "Do Hard Things".
I've learned that sometimes if you really want something to happen, you've got to go after it and make it happen.
I've learned that sometimes being introverted is a choice. Being extroverted is too.
I've learned that I love the color combination black and ivory.
I've learned that there are some books that are just not worth reading - even if they come highly recommended.
I've learned (again) that good people aren't perfect; the best and most mature Christian has a chink in his armor. The young and inexperienced Christians have a bunch!
I've learned that a mission trip is one of the most rewarding experiences a young person could have.
I've learned that prayer really is the greatest force on earth, and that if people know you believe that, they will open up their hearts to you and ask you to pray for things in their life.
I've learned that saying "goodbye" is sometimes the hardest thing you ever go through. I've also learned that there is no such thing as a wasted life in the kingdom of God.
I've learned about Christian apologetics and thinking logically.
I've learned that love must be tough always.
I've learned that thankfulness is the key to happiness.

Of course I'm being a tad facicious with some of the things on this list, but these really are areas where I have 'learned' in the past three years. Some things I learned from the ground up, some things I learned more about what I already knew a little bit about, some of the things were just transfers of what I knew in my head, to what I now TRULY BELIEVE, through tests and results, and seeing firsthand that they really are true.

Like about planting flowers in the dirt. Of course I knew that you plant flowers in dirt! But there's a two-fold meaning there. When the Lord told us to go into the world and tell others about Him, He didn't mean for us to do it from the safety of our own little clean, white, comfort zones. He didn't! He got down among the 'dirty' people He loved, and He planted seeds of beauty and Godliness in the Spiritual dirt. If we expect to share His saving grace with those who don't know Him, we must expect to get in among them, love them with His love, and be willing to get our hands dirty to show them how much we care. In my time at college, I've had a hard time getting past barriers like dress, bad language, inappropriate topics, and other things about the people I'm around that I have nothing in common with. But the Lord has helped me work on that (after all, these people don't know Him; how else would lost people be expected to act?!) and learn how to try to be a friend and show HIM to them, through how I conduct myself and how I care about them.

I've learned alot in the past three years. And the above is by no means an exhaustive list!
It's been an interesting journey. I wonder what the next three years will bring... Maybe it's best that I don't know now.

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 3

Visit this post to learn about "5 Small Things Friday".

Two of my things are from today, instead of last Friday through yesterday, but since I came up with this "5 Small Things Friday" idea, I guess I can bend the rules :) . And these two seemed to fit the idea better than other things that happened this past week.

My list this week:

1. Sight: Rebelutionaries.

2. Hearing: "Jesus Christ is Lord."

3. Smell: Cold Autumn air.

4. Taste: A gingerbread man.

5. Touch: A hug with Mrs. Renae.


The stories behind the list:

1. I'm working on a post relating the amazing experience of being at the last "Do Hard Things" Conference of the last Rebelution Tour. What a blessing! I'll try to post soon.
We got to the church early, and the huge church building and campus was already buzzing with activity. There were groups of sunny, fresh-faced teenagers with huge smiles (and that early in the morning too!), waiting to greet us in the parking lot and at the doors as we walked into the building, teenagers behind the registration table, teenagers giving directions, teenagers handing out the keypads we'd need for interaction during some of the sessions, teenagers manning the book tables, teenagers running equipment, teenagers praying, teenagers there for the conference. I only saw a handful of adults in actual positions of coordination or leadership during the whole event - almost everything was handled by young people, whether pre-teens, teenagers, or those in their early twenties. It was a breathtaking experience - all these hundreds of busy young people were here for THIS!

2. To hear each tiny voice make a distinct echo in that huge room - it was so powerful. Listening to "...the harvest come in."
A young girl, "Jesus Christ is Lord." A college-age young man, "Jesus Christ is Lord." A small boy, "Jesus Christ is Lord." Two friends in unison, "Jesus Christ is Lord." A mom, "Jesus Christ is Lord."
"Jesus Christ is Lo..." "Jesus Chri..." "Jesus Christ is ..." "Jesus Christ is Lord."
Then that one final thunderous shout as we all join together - hundreds of voices proclaim, "JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!"
Gives me chills all over, just remembering. Even when I'm old and my mind may be gone otherwise, I hope this is one memory that stays with me all my life.

3. Last night Mom went outside to get something out of Dad's truck. I offered to get it for her, but I was already in my pajamas, so she wouldn't let me. But I hung out the front door waiting for her, soaking up the chilling air. I blew out my breath into clouds that billowed like fog against the black sky. I closed my mouth and breathed deep and long of the pure cold air, and felt it fill me all the way down to my toes. It was exhilarating!

4. Today all I had for lunch (well, until late afternoon anyway) was a Little Debbie gingerbread man and some milk. I know, why eat store-bought when my Mom is such a great cook?! Because several boxes of these conveniently-individually-wrapped gingerbread men were given to us, because I was at school and these cookies are already wrapped and I can just grab one for a snack, because my Mom has not had time to make gingerbread for quite a while, and because these store-bought ones are very good, I've got to admit! Gingerbread is great - it gives you just that "little something sweet" you want at meal time, but it's not terribly overloaded with unhealthy ingredients.

5. Dear Mrs. Renea. I'll tell you a secret - I didn't really like her when we first started going to Victory Rd. That's horrible, I know, but they say confession is good for the soul. Now I can't think why I didn't always love her! Probably because I just didn't understand her. She is very quirky, but aren't we all (especially at Victory Rd. - we seem to attract "extreme" personalities :D )?! She is so fun and lively, yet so sweet and wise. Today there were a bunch of us from the church and Victory Rd. Christian Academy working on a fundraiser for VRCA and Mrs. Mandy was the one in charge. Long story short, things were getting hectic, and I think it was one of those "I just want to sit down and cry" moments for Mrs. Mandy. We were all busy and running around like crazy, but at one point she came to grab something that was near where I was, and I just reached out and gave her a quick one-arm squeeze to try to cheer her up. She pressed her nose against the side of my face and hugged me back - hard :) .

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 2

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".
For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: A living evidence of an answered prayer.

2. Hearing: A happy wren's evening song.

3. Smell: Bacon cooking at Waffle House.

4. Taste: Cool clean water after a 2.5 mile walk/run.

5. Touch: A child's hand in mine.


The stories behind the list:

1. Every year, on a Wednesday night in October, Victory Rd. meets at the college's football field / walking track instead of at church. We have a devotional on the bleachers, then the rest of the evening is spent eating supper, visiting, and walking/running on the track. The walk/run helps raise money for Life Word broadcast ministries.
This past Wednesday night was our walk/run. At one point I took a break and climbed up the bleachers to watch those on the track down below, and I saw Bro. Dennis and Mrs. Carrie were walking together. 'Strolling' is a more accurate word, though, since Mrs. Carrie's size is preventing her from moving very fast anymore :) . Bro. Dennis loves to 'work the crowds' and usually manages to seem like he's everywhere at once, but this time he was just walking with her. It was such a beautiful picture - him slowing down for her, the two of them chatting away as they walked, and the obvious evidence of answered prayers and new life. As I watched them, my heart overflowed with thankfulness, joy, and tremendous gratitude to the Lord for His goodness, compassion, and kindness - to them, and to those that love them!

2. I was washing my car Saturday evening, enjoying the fresh fall air. Suddenly a wren started singing at the edge of our yard. He was singing his little heart out, and it sounded like he was just so happy he had to praise the Lord :) . It made me glad.

3. As I got off work the other day, the Waffle House next door to the Academy was warming up for the supper crowd. It smelled SO good!

4. Wednesday night at the walk, I walked and ran a total of 2.5 miles. That's not that much, but a big drink of cool fresh water was so refreshing afterward! So many people don't have clean water at all - the Lord has been so good to me, even in things like clean water that I take so for granted sometimes.

5. During a huge part of my time on the track, one of my little after-school girls trotted along beside me. Her and her two brothers usually get picked up from school and taken straight to the church and dropped off for class on Wednesday nights, but since the church was meeting to walk this night and there was no class, they had come ahead anyway with the group of kids on the church bus. Their family situation is so sad and mixed up. I try to be a friend and a good influence during the time I have them at after-school, and I've gotten pretty close to them I think. She followed along beside me chatting away lap after lap, and she's only nine or ten. Once as we were walking along, she slipped her hand into mine. My heart ached for her and all others like her, but I was so thankful to think that maybe I could make a difference in her life.

Gulp!

Well, as you can see, my design is now somewhat different. I was just going to try to tweak something, Blogger assuring me that I could revert to my original design if I wasn't satisfied. Yeah, right. Bologna. Never, never, NEVER believe Blogger! My whole blog disappeared, and I sat here for almost a minute in stunned disbelief. Two years' worth of writing. Gone.
Gulp!
I guess the Lord just directed my fingers, 'cause after going through cardiac arrest, coming to, and praying that the Lord would help me get my writing saved, at least, I just randomly tried something else, and it all appeared again. Granted, the 'look' is different, but at least it's there! I've spent a little time tweaking the design now, and I'll admit it's beginning to grow on me. Just a little. There are pros and cons. I now have both a left and a right sidebar, and I LOVE that. There are other things I could do without, but it's okay.
I'm just thankful my blog is still in existence!

"The Key To Happiness..."

I was scheduled to do the devotional yesterday at the Thursday morning breakfast, and I knew I didn't want to get up and say just anything. Here was an opportunity to speak to these kids, to maybe influence them, to hopefully plant a good seed in their mind to grow during the rest of their day.

So I followed an old piece of advice:

"Write (or in this case, speak) about what you know."

I decided to speak on something the Lord has been teaching me lately. Here it is, not word-for-word obviously, because of variations I thought I should make in the moment, but nearly word-for-word. I didn't deviate much. The breaks were so that if I got lost, it would be easy to find my place again :) .


"Pro 17:22 'A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.'

I’d like to focus on the first part of this verse. It talks about how a person’s mindset affects their life. A merry heart… If someone is happy, it does more for them than any medicine.

I heard a quote quite a while back related to this, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently. Several things have been happening in my own life lately that have brought it to my mind. It says:

'The key to happiness, is a thankful heart.'

Think about that for a minute. The key to happiness is a thankful heart.

Everyone wants to be happy. It’s just the way humans are! But obviously not everybody is.

People try to buy happiness all the time. Some people think if they just have this thing or that, like a new phone or some other fancy gadget, then they’ll be happy. Or if they get to go on their dream vacation, it will make them really be happy.

But it doesn’t work that way. You can’t buy happiness! Now, you can buy fun, but you can’t buy happiness, and 'fun' doesn’t last. As soon as the vacation’s over, you’ll be looking toward next year. As soon as the new model comes out, your 'new' phone won’t be so great any more.

The key to happiness, really is a thankful heart. You can only be happy if you decide to be happy. What I mean by that is, if you’re always looking for what you don’t have, to satisfy you, you’ll never be satisfied.

You’ve got to make a decision to be thankful for what you have. But you can’t just be like, 'Oh… yeah… you know… I’m happy that I have food… and I’m glad I have a house I can sleep in when it’s raining, and that I’m not like those poor people in down in South America or Africa or somewhere…'

I don’t mean like that. I mean REALLY looking at what you have, and enjoying it. BEING THANKFUL for it!

Just as an example, say there’s this popular person at your school. Or they don’t even have to be popular, it’s just someone you’d really like to be friends with. But they have someone they always hang out with, and are good friends with, and they don’t really seem to notice you that much.

So you’re unhappy, because you can’t have that special friendship. Then say there’s this kid in the grade below you. And for some reason they don’t have a lot of friends, it’s not that they’re a bad person, everyone else just already has their little groups, and this kid has kindof gotten left out. And you don’t really notice them that much either.

But then you realize they always seem to be around where you are. They really seem to pay attention when you give your opinions about something. They seem to look up to you.

So you take the energy you were spending being sad about this person you wanted to be friends with, and instead you take a look at this kid. And you get to know them, and turns out even though they are younger than you, y’all have a lot in common, and boom! you had a really great friend right there waiting to be discovered!

That’s an example of being thankful for what you have. Not focusing on what you don’t have. And that’s just one example!

When you do that, you have made a conscious decision to be thankful, and in doing that, you notice how great the little things are , and it’s made you happy!

Everyone wants to be happy. And right here the Bible gives us the key to it. And this is just one verse in the Bible that talks about this idea.

A merry heart, or a thankful heart, is the key to being happy, to really enjoying all that the Lord has put in our lives.
So, I’d like to challenge you to notice the little things, and be thankful for what you have today."

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 1

This is something new I want to start. You see these weekly things on so many blogs, like "Hello Monday" or "Terrific Tuesday" where you post on a specific topic on a specific day of the week, then link up if you've done it.

I don't this to be quite like that, but maybe a little similar. For one thing, if you decide to join in, I don't want you to link back to this blog. I am not one of those bloggers who blogs for an audience. If people stumble across my blog, fine, and I hope they get something good from it. But I keep this journal of sorts for myself. I don't want alot of 'publicity'.

Also, if you do decide to do this with me, I don't want you to feel pressured to keep it up. If you miss a week, that's okay! If your schedule is so busy that you've got to drop it, I hope it was a blessing to you during the time you participated!

And third, even people without blogs can join in if they'd like.

Here is the idea behind this idea, and also the 'rules':

The idea behind the idea is to help me notice the little things in life. The amazing mundane details that make existence enjoyable. Those little things we tend to not notice until they are gone.

In the last year or so, the importance of not taking for granted these special things has been pressed upon me in many different and unique ways, probably more than at any other time in my life. Or maybe I'm just starting to notice more than at any other time. I've found myself focusing on, noticing, and really appreciating these things. Small things. Like the laughter of a friend. A child's trusting eyes. The natural glitter in a flower petal (I'm serious! Look for it - it's there!). The smell of the earth after a rain. Or the rough texture of a concrete floor under bare feet.

I want to capture these moments. These memories. I want to learn to be even more grateful for them. And I want to notice more.

So here is the challenge. For each sense God has given us - Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste, and Touch - I'm going to record one 'Small Thing' I noticed in the past week. From Friday to Thursday, and then post my list on Friday. You're welcome to join me!

1. If you choose to post on your blog, you're welcome to use my image.
2. Please do not link back to this blog, but say you got the idea from a fellow blogger.
3. I'd love it if you left a comment with a link to your post, so I can see what 'Small Things' you're noticing!
4. If you want to post pictures or the story behind the 'Small Things' you noticed, that's fine too. I will probably be doing that off and on, depending on how much time I have to post.
5. If you don't have a blog, you can still do this! And, once again, I'd love for you to comment here on the Friday post for that week, and let me read what your list is!

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: A friend's smile.

2. Hearing: A child memorizing a Bible verse.

3. Smell: Clean towels.

4. Taste: A garden salad.

5. Touch: My cat 'hugging' me.


The stories behind the list:

1. I want to do a post on the whole story, but in a nutshell, the college kids hosted a game night this past Sunday night after services for the Junior High and High School kids who came to church. The whole idea is to build relationships and hopefully influence the younger ones in Godly ways. We're hoping to branch it out more too, and that these kids will bring their friends. If you want to come to the game night, you've got to come to church too.
Anyway, we played this great new game (well, new to me) called 'Spoons', and it was a blast! It was good to see the smiles.

2. I usually don't work the after-school program on Thursdays, but the lady that does, had worked for me Friday so I could go with my family to see Courageous. She had to go somewhere yesterday, so we just traded days.
The kids have got to do their homework before they can play, and Scripture memorization is part of it. One of the little girls wanted me to listen to her work on her verse.

3. The other night after we'd washed laundry, we had to get out clean towels for showers. I just shoved my nose into one, and breathed deep. Mmmmmmmm!

4. The other day for my lunch, Trissy fixed me a salad to take to school. I love salads, and she'd put lots of good stuff in it - lettuce of course, and carrots, grated cheese, tomatoes, boiled eggs, and topped with Ranch dressing! Wow.

5. I don't know if I've ever told about Winky, a.k.a. "The One-Eyed Wink". My kitten I rescued from the parking lot after work one night last winter. He only has one eye. We think he was just born that way, because there were no scars. He is so loving. Almost like he realizes how indebted he is to us :) ! He loves to come up when we're out in the yard, and raise up on his back legs, and 'hug' our legs with his front ones.


Even if you don't keep a list, take the time to notice the 'Small Things' that make up life.

Courageous Is Coming!

Courageous - In Theaters Today!

My family, including The Grandparents, and along with Lindy, are all planning to load up and head about 45 minutes away to the nearest theater to see the newest Sherwood Pictures film on opening day!! I am so excited, both to get to see a great movie, and to see what the Lord will do with the efforts of these dear Godly people who are seeking to honor Him with the talents He has given them. What a joy to know there are still good clean movies being made - and all for the purpose of glorifying the Lord!

Hollywood judges the success of a movie by how much support it gets on opening weekend. If you are planning to go see it, please consider going today, tomorrow, or Sunday, to get the biggest audience for your supportive voice.



Hope to see you at the theater!

SOLI DEO GLORIA! -Kyrie<>< - a 'Dear ____, Love, me' post

Dear book collection,

I'm so happy to have you with me! You never get old. In fact, the older you are, better you get!


Dear dessert,

Why do you have to taste so good? Especially when you take the form of Cookies 'N' Cream ice cream, strawberry wafer cookies, biscuits and jam, or Butterfinger cake?! Temptations, temptations.


Dear grapes, apples, peaches, bananas, strawberries, and raisins,

Thank you for being so delicious ;) . I love you.


Dear night-time bicycle rides,

You're wonderful. I love your cold air stinging my cheeks, the smell of the fresh wind, the crunch of a gravel-and-dirt road under my tires, and the exhilaration of being the only living thing out under the stars.


Dear Nikon D3000 10.2 MP Digital SLR Camera that I don't have yet,

I want you so much. But, I'm trying to have patience until I have enough money saved up to get you. Until then, I hope our little family point-and-shoot will stay alive so I am not totally without a camera...


Dear creativity,

You're the best! I'm so happy that you come to visit me every now and then, especially when I have the time, opportunity, and resources to make good use of your appearances!


Dear late nights,

You seem to help me get so much done. But then, the next morning it is SO hard to leave the soft bed, and I think our relationship is not a healthy one, and so must soon end ...


Dear early mornings,

I really enjoy you! We should get better acquainted.


Dear rain,

You are so amazing. Sometimes I wonder if the Lord thought of me when He made you - not really, but you know what I mean. I love you so much! Come again soon.


Dear Mixed Berry candle,

One dollar, plus tax, at Dollar General. One dollar for a little jar of pure joy. Who can beat that?


Dear yard-sales-where-I-get-stuff-free-because-I-know-the-people-who-are-having-the-sale-and-they-just-want-to-get-rid-of-the-left-overs-so-they-give-it-to-me-and-I-get-to-keep-what-I-want-before-donating-or-consigning-the-rest,

I could seriously get used to having you around.


Dear Fall,

Why can't you be here all year long? I know, I know. If you were, I wouldn't appreciate you as much. But oh, how I love you!


Dear blog,

I'm glad I have you. It is nice to have an outlet for my writing bug, while at the same time keeping a record of what's happening in my life. Even if I do take a little while to get my posts published...


Dear friends,

I love you. I'm so thankful that I have been privileged to know you. You make my day - you encourage me, tease me, love me, teach me, and bear with me. You make me smile. I take you for granted sometimes, and I'm sorry. Don't give up on me, okay?


Dear God,

Thank You for everything You've blessed me with. And I don't mean to be cliched. Thank You for a house to live in; thank You that I live in the country. Thank You that I live in the South. Thank You for soft clean sheets, for a hot shower, my sister sleeping in the next room, plenty of clothing, for chocolate milk and wafer cookies, for good-natured grins and happy, mischievous eyes. Thank You for my wonderful friends and Godly church family at Victory Rd.. Thank You for a job, and for how much I enjoy it. Thank You for finished projects, thunderstorms, good books, and Christian movies. Thank You for old telephones, antique buttons, and recycled treasures. For color, and for eyes to see it with. Thank You for Autumn.
Thank You for surprises.
Help me to be more thankful. Help me not to take for granted what You have given me. Help me to use it frugally, efficiently, wisely, and for Your glory.
Thank You. I love You. Help me love You more.


Dear everyone,

Thank you for reading. That is all.


SOLI DEO GLORIA!

-Kyrie<><


Note: I got this idea from Carlotta, who got it from another blogger. I really liked the idea, and hope it is okay for me to use it. I had fun.
Also, I hope to add photos to this post soon.